Thorsten Botz-Bornstein Books

Exploring the connection between Daoism and dandyism, this work highlights their shared philosophy of "carefree wandering" as a counter to the constraints of puritanism and political correctness found in Confucianism, Victorianism, and modern neoliberal culture. The author argues that both philosophies encourage a more liberated and individualistic approach to life, challenging societal norms and promoting personal freedom.

Exploring the intriguing connections between play and religion, this book offers a comprehensive analysis through philosophical, theological, and anthropological lenses. Its interdisciplinary approach makes it a valuable resource for students and scholars across various fields, including Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, Cultural Studies, Philosophy, and Anthropology, enriching the discourse on the significance of play in understanding religious practices and beliefs.

Exploring the philosophical significance of lines, this book traces their evolution from Antiquity through various cultural lenses, including art, architecture, and science. It contrasts Western and Eastern traditions, analyzing the works of artists like Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky alongside Chinese and Japanese calligraphy. Lines are portrayed as reflections of cultural psychology, influenced by developments like non-Euclidean geometry, which paved the way for modern art and virtual reality. The narrative emphasizes lines as a fundamental aspect of human civilization's progression.

Exploring the concept of 'contingency phobia,' this book examines how conspiracy theories, algorithms, and meritocracy share a common tendency to reject uncertainty and seek definitive answers. It argues that this avoidance of contingency is not only prevalent in conspiratorial thinking but also contributes to various issues within liberal democracies, highlighting the implications of such a mindset on society and governance.

The “organic” is by now a venerable concept within aesthetics, architecture, and art history, but what might such a term mean within the spatialities and temporalities of film? By way of an answer, this concise and innovative study locates organicity in the work of Béla Tarr, the renowned Hungarian filmmaker and pioneer of the “slow cinema” movement. Through a wholly original analysis of the long take and other signature features of Tarr’s work, author Thorsten Botz-Bornstein establishes compelling links between the seemingly remote spheres of film and architecture, revealing shared organic principles that emphasize the transcendence of boundaries.